It's been two years since I last wrote here. Life is craziness. New job (10 months ago), new city (9 months ago), out of state family illness (4.5 months ago, and ongoing), different broken down car (that is a story in and of itself). Another adventure, for sure.
Rather than provide a complete review of the last two years (which would be reams and reams), I'll try to summarize in a few paragraphs, and dig back in.
So, we moved the motorhome to a new location, more populous, but closer to each of our work locations. Then, to facilitate renovations to the motorhome, we moved into an apartment. It was the first time we had lived in traditional housing in about five years. Of course, it wouldn't last :-).
Three months into apartment living, our one vehicle catastrophically broke down. We bought an old jeep that hopefully could withstand the daily abuse of the 45 mile, one way commute to my workplace, six miles of which were dirt road, consisting of 3-4 inch washboard. The grill fell out, the driver side door lock fell out, a headlight fell out, it leaked about a quart of oil per tank of fuel, but it would start dependably and survive the commute. Our lives had a modicum of stability. Work, life, transportation, social interaction, The motorhome and unrepaired, yet-to-be-paid-off older car were in storage. We could make the budget, our lives had routine and predictability (outside of the occasional series of theater escapades. Theater folks are amazing.) Cue the fantastic upset! (Come on, you knew it was coming...)
I received a highly unlikely, statistically improbable recruitment letter that led to a fantastic job offer from a maturing Silicon Valley start up run by a world renowned entrepreneur (yes, if you read the news, even tangentially, you know his name) whose efforts may very well change the world, in multiple ways, and this is not exaggeration.
In the space of a month, I completed interviews by phone, by Skype, in person, with a total of about 10 people, pulled up stakes, and settled in at an extended stay hotel in the new city. A month later, our apartment lease up, my family joined me, (my mans job immediately offered 100% work-from-home, sending him off with $6k worth of computer equipment, and a raise to keep him.) I know this shit doesn't happen in real life. Except, for us, it just did. If life is a game, somebody rolled a D20 on our behalf last August.
Most people, at this point, would be sensible, and simply find an apartment, and settle into "normal" life. Given the outrageous cost of housing in this area, we found it to be financially feasible, and reasonable, to simply stay in the hotel. The corporate discount brought the cost down enough to where it was cheaper to stay there, utilities included and dog accepted, without application fees, security deposits, etc, and provided just about the same square footage and amenities. It helped that the hotel was less than a mile from my new workplace. I could even avoid the horrendous traffic that comes with a valley commute. Given these choices we were able to erase over $5k of debt in less than six months.
5 months into this, as we were still scouring ads and craigslist and conversations for reasonable housing that would allow our 65 lb dog, and lack of real rental history, my mother was struck with a debilitating stroke. We packed up the majority of our belongings and transferred them to storage, packed the jeep with everything necessary, and headed out on the road, hotel room left clean, but for the the refrigerated food that would not keep, and the crock pot which was forgotten on top of a cabinet in our haste.
We went from settled to mobile in 24 hours, and were at her side, 700+ miles later, within 40.
The following weeks involved much attendance at the hospital. As a family, we went through terror, support, depression, encouragement, determination, gratitude, inflamed rage, understanding and lack thereof.
I had to keep my job, and I had to be with her. After my paid time off ran out, and her recovery was in full swing, we compromised. My man would stay with family at reduced rent (cost of housing back home is about 25% of what it is in the Bay), and I would travel back every other weekend or so, and stay there as needed if more drastic measures were needed. The only thing that would make this financially feasible, including travel costs, would be for me to live in the car.
After much discussion, hemming and hawing, and looking for other solutions, this has been our course of action. Barring further catastrophe, we should be able to get him moved back up here, and us back into a hotel, in September. We will have a bit of savings, and some other debts paid. I will be able to be there for my mother throughout her recovery, visiting every few weeks. If it weren't for other family members who love her just as much as I do, we would be moving there, permanently.
Here's the interesting dichotomy. I am making the best money I have ever made, doing work that I enjoy doing, in the most interesting and populous city I have ever been in longer than a week, and have lived out of my car for the longest period of time I ever have ( 3 months and counting). Given existent restrictions, I wouldn't have it any other way.
I am so grateful for the things in my life that have allowed this. I have a man who is understanding, and while concerned for my safety, trusts in my ability to handle things, and loves me even when I make decisions that are not normal. I have a mother who is as stubborn as I am, and has aimed that determination at recovering and physical therapy, and regaining skills possessed since early childhood. She has a husband who genuinely cares for her, above and beyond, and shows this, daily, not only through word but in every action. I am in awe of, and extremely grateful for, the zest for life, and desire to experience it, that they both possess, well into their seventies. Despite all that has happened, they are planning travel after her recovery, a trip to the Grand Canyon, a trip to Alaska, visiting family back in Arkansas and Tennessee. They inspire me.
Future plans are to get re-settled up here, continue in our work, with a 5 year plan that leads to both of us working for ourselves, independent of traditional employment, and a house purchased somewhere with lower costs and high speed internet. I know this is unrealistic, by "normal" standards. The thing is, normal has never really worked out very well, for me. Unrealistic has, and does. Why not go for it?
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